Photos sought for updated history book Will be scanned (and returned) at museum on Dec. 13

Thursday, December 6, 2012

ROCHESTER — The history that picks up where Franklin McDuffee’s History of the Town of Rochester left off is seeking photographs to illustrate the book, projected for publication in September 2013.

Rochester Historical Society is working with author Kathryn Grover to locate photographs of particular events and people that, so far, neither have been able to find.

Anyone who has such photographs and is willing to allow them to be published in the upcoming Rochester history is invited to the Historical Society’s Christmas Open House, on Dec. 13 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the museum on Hanson Street, so that the images may be scanned.

All are invited to stop in at this free event to view the Christmas decorations, refreshments, and special exhibits. The current theme is Rochester pastimes at the turn of the twentieth century, and each display case features artifacts from a different leisure-time activity.

The book, tentatively titled Rochester, New Hampshire: “A Compact Little Industrial City” in the Modern Age, 1890-2010, is to be published for the Trustees of the Trust Funds of the City of Rochester by Peter E. Randall Publisher in Portsmouth, well known for its work in local history. The book will be between 600 and 700 pages and will include roughly 300 images, most of which have been identified. But a handful of desired photographs have so far eluded the author and those who have assisted in the hunt:

• Interior view (with people) of Colby’s Restaurant, Leo’s Diner, or any other popular downtown eating place

• Sunset Drive-In, Milton Road (opened 1950)

• Boarding a train in Rochester in the 1940s or 1950s

• Building the East Side Highway (Route 16), 1910-30

• Building Spaulding Turnpike in the Rochester area, 1954-57

• Cars on the Spaulding Turnpike around Rochester, 1957-60

• An early view of Skyhaven Airport, late 1940s-early 1960s

• Cows being transported out of Rochester during the dairy cow buyout, 1985-86

• The utility pole at Hancock and Upham Streets painted in green and with the word “Dublin” on it

• Mabelle C. Coleman, teacher at Rochester High School in 1920s and 1930s

• Hopey’s Trailer Park, Milton Road, 1952-56, or any house trailer or trailer camp from the 1950s

• The site of Spaulding High School before it was built beginning in 1938 (included the first home of Charles B. Gafney,home of H. T. Gerrish) at the intersection of Wakefield Street and Chestnut Hill Road, before 1939

• The old city dump off Route 16B

• Moving patients from Frisbie Hospital on Charles Street to new hospital on Rochester Hill, 1942

• John Shaw in action as mayor

• Dick Green in action as mayor

• Dismantling the Jabez Dame house, 1974

• Willis “Red” Hayes, as a boxer and/or police officer

• Exterior and active interior views of Humoresque

• Ralph P. Corson riding through town on his bike

Those who have photographs but cannot attend the Dec. 13 open house should contact Grover at kgrover@kgrover.com or Martha Fowler at Rochester Historical Society.